Building toy with rigid carriers provided with cooperating undercut male and female coupling portions



May 26, 1970 A. FISCHER 3,513,589

BUILDING TOY WITH RIGID CARRIERS PROVIDED WITH COOPERATING UNDERCUT MALE AND FEMALE COUPLING PORTIONS Filed May 31, 1966 ARTUR FISCHER BY mane w. a

ltllvv United States Patent 1m. (:1. A63h 33/08 US. Cl. 4625 13 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A building block has a rigid body portion provided with an exposed face. A coupling portion is carried by the body portion projecting outwardly from the exposed face. The coupling portion decreases in cross-section toward the face and is bounded by a peripheral surface composed of a plurality of identical facets.

This is a continuation-in-part of my application Ser. No. 545,025, entitled Structural Element and filed on Apr. 25, 1966, now abandoned.

The present invention relates to a building block. More specifically, the present invention relates to a building block which is provided with coupling means. Still more specifically, the invention relates to a building block provided with coupling means so that it may be coupled to other similar building blocks.

It is customary in the industry to construct building building blocks of this type, which find use in toy assembly kits, from synthetic plastic material. To make possible easy coupling of such building blocks to one another, and to prevent accidental disassembly of a structure made from such building blocks, the blocks are provided in some of their surfaces with recesses or grooves whose cross sectional area widens inwardly of the respective surface, and with coupling projections of a configuration complementary to that of these grooves so that, if one of such projections provided on one block is received in one of the aforementioned .grooves provided on another block, the two blocks are releasably but securely joined to one another. Since in blocks of this type it is generally impossible, for economic reasons, to maintain strict manufacturing tolerances, it has been found preferable to construct the blocks themselves from a hard plastic material and to construct the coupling projections, which are to be received in the above-mentioned grooves, from a softer plastic material which is resiliently deformable so that deviation from the prescribed manufacturing tolerances in the sense making the grooves smaller than intended, or the coupling projections larger than intended, will not render the affected building blocks unusable. I have generally set this forth in my above-identified application, Ser. No. 545,025.

With building blocks of the above-desccribed type it is possible to construct a great variety of structures. However, one problem remains to be solved, namely the possibility to make these blocks angularly displaceable with respect to oneanother so as to increase the versatility of the blocks for construction purposes.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide building blocks of the type set forth above which can be readily coupled to another in a plurality of positions in which the thus coupled blocks are angularly displaced with respect to one another.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a 3,513,589 Patented May 26, 1970 building block of this type which is simple and very economical to manufacture.

In accordance with one feature of my invention I provide a building block which comprises a rigid carrier having an exposed surface. The block is further provided with a coupling projection on the carrier, and this coupling projection comprises a portion which extends outwardly beyond the exposed surface of the carrier. The cross-sectional configuration of the coupling projection decreases in the direction toward the exposed surface and the coupling projection is bounded 'by four identically configurated surfaces, so that the coupling projection can be received in a socket provided in another building block in four different angular positions.

The novel features which are considered as characteristic for the invention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its construction and its method of operation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will be best understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a partially sectioned top-plan view of a building block in accordance with my invention;

FIG. 2 is an end view of the building block shown in FIG. 1 as seen in the direction of the arrow A;

FIG. 3 is a partly sectioned end elevation of a further embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 4 is a cross-section through the embodiment of FIG. 3 as seen in direction of the arrow B thereof;

FIG. 5 is an end view of a further embodiment of the invention:

FIG. 6 is a section taken on the line VIVI of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is an end elevation of a building block in accordance with a further embodiment of the invention; and

FIG. 8 is a top-plan view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 7 as seen in direction of the arrow C.

Discussing now the drawing in detail, and firstly FIGS. 1 and 2 thereof, it will be seen that I have shown therein a building block comprising a rigid carrier 1 which I prefer to construct of a relatively hard plastic material, such as polystyrol; this carrier being provided with a coupling projection 2 which preferably consists of a softer and resilient plastic material such as polyamide, polyethylene or polypropylene.

The carrier is further provided with recesses or grooves 4 (see FIG. 2) and it will be seen that these grooves away from the respective surface in which they are provided. The coupling projection 2 has such a configuration that its cross-sectional area also decreases in direction from its free face toward the rigid carrier 1, so that it is readily insertable into the grooves 4 of another similar building block, whereby such building blocks are coupled to one another.

Since coupling projection and carrier consist of different materials they are obviously not integral with one another, but must be joined together. The coupling projecttion, which is generally of relatively small dimensions and consists of a resiliently deformable material, is therefore difiicult to anchor in the carrier 1. To overcome this I provide the coupling projection 2 with a stem 8 having a plurality of preferably circumferentially complete pro jections 7 each of which tapers in cross-sectional area in direction away from the coupling projection 2. Immediately below the point at which the coupling projection 2 merges into the stem 8 I provide an auxiliary element 1d which serves the purpose of anchoring the coupling projection more firmly in the carrier 1. This element 1d in the embodiment of FIGS. 1 and 2 is a separate holding member provided with a bore through which the stem 8 is inserted. The cross-sectional area of the bore in the element 1d is so selected that, when the stem 8 of coupling projection 2 is inserted thereinto, the projections 7 will tightly frictionally engage the surrounding material of the member 1d and will make withdrawal of the stem 8 from the bore provided therein impossible.

The face of carrier 1 from which the coupling projection 2 is to extend is provided with a recess corresponding to the outline of member 1d. In turn, the bottom of this recess is provided with a bore 6 so that, when the coupling projection 2 with the member 1D is inserted into the corresponding recess in the carrier 1, that portion of the stem 8 which projects rearwardly beyond the member 1d can be pressed into the bore 6 of carrier 1 and will then lodge therein and anchor the entire coupling projection structure to the carrier against undesirable withdrawal. It 'will of course be understood that the provision of the member 1d makes far greater stability of the coupling projection 2 than would otherwise be possible.

As is evident from FIG. 2, the element 1d is provided with rotation-preventing portions and the recess provided in carrier 1 is of course configurated so as to receive these portions 5, so that the coupling projection and the member 1d are secured to the rigid carrier 1 against rotation with reference thereto.

It is evident from FIG. 1 that the projecting portion of the coupling projection 2 is recessed intermediate the free end face of the latter and the surface of the carrier 1 from which the coupling projection 2 extends. Such recessing is necessary so that the coupling projection 2 may fit into the grooves 4. As shown in FIG. 2, the end face of the coupling projection 2 in this embodiment is of square cross section and, as is evident from FIG. 1, the cross-sectional area of coupling projection 2 tapers from this end face toward the neck a which is the portion of smallest cross-sectional area and is located adjacent the surface of rigid carrier 1. By virtue of this tapering there are formed on the coupling projection 2 four identical surface portions 0, which together form a composite circumferential surface which may define a convex taper or a conical taper in direction toward the neck a.

At least one groove 4 is provided at one or both of its ends with an enlargement corresponding to the cross-sectional configuration of the end face of the coupling projection 2. In this particular embodiment the enlargement is of square cross-sectional configuration and it will be understood that a block provided with a coupling projection 2 of the type shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 can be inserted into a groove 4 provided with the enlargement or enlargements 10 in four dilferent angular positions; that is, a block provided with such a coupling projection can be rotated respectively through 90 degrees with reference to the block provided with the groove 4.

Coming now to the embodiment shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, it will be seen that the carriers 1 shown there are of flat plate-like configuration and carry coupling projections 2 corresponding in outline to those of the ones shown in the embodiment of FIGS. 1 and 2. The carriers 1 are provided in their lateral faces with recesses or grooves 6a which extend from one towards the other major surface of the respective carrier 1, but terminate short thereof at the wall 7a. This assures that at least one of the major surfaces of the respective carriers is smooth and uninterrupted. Other reference numerals used in FIGS. 3 and 4 correspond to those in FIGS. 1 and 2 and need no further explanation, it being evident from FIG. 4 that the depth of the coupling projections 2, measured intermediate their respective free faces and the lateral surface of the carrier 1 from which they extend, is substantially only half the depth of the respective grooves 6a.

The embodiment shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 is substantially similar to that shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. The major difference is that the carrier 1 in this embodiment is considerably shorter than the one shown in FIG. 1, it length corresponding to the depth of two of the auxiliary members 1d. It is evident from the drawing (FIG. 6) that the respective coupling projections 2 which two are provided in this particular embodiment, are integral with the auxiliary members 1d. Accordingly, the members 1d are provided with bores 6 which extend from their respective inner ends toward the respective coupling projections 2 but terminate short of the neck a thereof. A common stem 8, which is again provided with the circumferential projections 7, is pressed into these bores so that the two auxiliary members 1d are held to one another and, of course, they are received in complementary recesses provided in the carrier 1b.

It should be noted that in this embodiment the crosssection of the end face of coupling projections 2 is not of square but of circular outline, unlike that of the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. This, of course, makes it possible to turn the carrier 1b freely to any desired angular position with reference to another carrier into whose grooves 4 the coupling projection 2 is inserted.

Coming, finally, to the embodiment shown in FIGS. 7 and 8 it will be seen that the building block 1c shown there is of triangular configuration and is provided, preferably on at least two major faces thereof, with coupling projections 2 corresponding to those in the embodiment of FIGS. 5 and 6, that is having a circular cross-sectional outline. The third major face of the carrier 10 is provided with a groove 4 similar to the grooves 4 in the embodiments of FIGS. l2 and 5-6. In this latter embodiment of FIGS. 7 and 8, the advantage is the same as in the embodiment of FIGS. 5 and 6, namely that even after coupling the building blocks can be turned with reference to one another to a desired angular position.

I have found it advantageous to make the circular coupling projections of a given color, and to make the square coupling projections of a different color so as to make them readily identifiable as to their intended function. Of course, the grooves can be similarly colored to aid a child using the building blocks.

It will be understood that each of the elements described above, or two or more together, may also find a useful application in other types of a building block differing from the types described above.

While the invention has been illustrated and described as embodied in building blocks, it is not intended to be limited to the details shown, since various modifications and structural changes may be made Without departing in any way from the spirit of the present invention.

Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist of the present invention that others can by applying current knowledge readily adapt it for various applications without omitting features that, from the standpoint of prior art, fairly constitute essential characteristics of the generic or specific aspects of this invention and, therefore, such adaptations should and are intended to be comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalence of the following claims.

What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. A building toy comprising, in combination, a first rigid carrier having an exposed face; an elongated inwardly undercut groove provided in said exposed face and being of a predetermined depth in direction normal to the plane of said exposed face; a second rigid carrier having an exposed surface; and a coupling projection provided on said exposed surface of said second carrier and comprising a portion extending outwardly beyond said exposed surface by a distance corresponding to substantially half of said pretermined depth, said coupling projection having an axis extending normal to said exposed surface and decreasing in cross-sectional configuration in direction toward said exposed surface and being bounded by a surface composed of a plurality of identical facets tapering convexly towards said exposed surface and being receivable in said undercut groove in a plurality of different angular positions about said axis of said coupling projection.

2. A building toy, as defined in claim 1, wherein at least said portion of said coupling projection is elastically deformable.

3. A building toy as defined in claim 1, wherein said second carrier is of polygonal configuration.

4. A building toy as defined in claim 1, wherein said second carrier is provided with a recess extending inwardly from said exposed surface, said coupling projection being partially received therein.

5. A building toy as defined in claim 1, wherein said portion of said coupling projection is of polygonal crosssectional outline.

6. A building toy as defined in claim 1, wherein said portion of said coupling projection is of substantially circular cross-sectional outline.

7. A building toy as defined in claim 1; and further comprising groove means provided in another exposed surface of said second carrier and widening in crosssectional area inwardly of said other exposed surface.

8. A building top as defined in claim 1; said coupling projection further comprising an anchoring portion of a cross-sectional area greater than that of said first-mentioned portion.

9. A building toy as defined in claim 8, wherein said anchoring portion is of polygonal cross-sectional outline.

10. A building toy as defined in claim 8, wherein said second carrier is provided with a recess extending inwardly from said exposed surface an daccommodating said anchoring portion.

11. A building toy as defined in claim 10, wherein said anchoring portion and recess comprise cooperating rotationpreventing sections for preventing rotation of said anchoring portion with reference to said second carrier.

12. A building toy as defined in claim 7, wherein said second carrier is of plate-like configuration having two major surfaces and a peripheral surface extending intermediate the same, said groove means being provided in one of said major surfaces, and terminating short of the other, at least one axial end of said groove means being open at said peripheral surface.

13. A building toy as defined in claim 1, wherein said second carrier is of polygonal cross-sectional configuration and comprises three surfaces, and wherein said coupling projection is provided on at least one of said surfcaes and groove means is provided in at least one other of said surfaces.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 409,744 8/1889 Garben 46-26 3,066,501 12/1962 Charles et al. 2,649,803 8/1953 Andre 46-25 2,800,743 7/1957 Meehan et a1 4625 2,907,137 10/1959 Ehrmann 46-25 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,008,459 10/ 1965 Great Britain.

F. BARRY SHAY, Primary Examiner R. F. CUTTING, Assistant Examiner 

